The present invention relates to electronic communication, and more particularly to the use of encryption techniques in location-based services provided by communication networks.
Today's cellular communication systems offer various communication services. Some communication services now rely on position information that accurately characterize the coordinates of mobile stations within a service area. For example, one of the communication services supported is a location service that allows a system subscriber's geographical position to be communicated to third party service providers. The third party service providers may offer various location dependent services requiring the position information. For example, position information is needed for fleet management of trucks and containers, preventing car thefts, locating rented cars and routing emergency calls. Other location dependent services may include providing localized content to subscribers, i.e., advertising, directions to the nearest hospital, restaurant, gas station, etc.
There is a substantial interest in the cellular industry to exploit this new added dimension. At the same time it is also well recognized that location dependent services present concerns relating to the privacy rights of subscribers. Many subscribers are reluctant to have their location monitored to avoid breaches of privacy from various governmental agencies, commercial entities, or even from personal acquaintances. Subscribers would likely participate in location dependent services if given the ability to maintain their anonymity in general and the control over the release of their location information.
Currently there is neither widespread use of location dependent services, nor are world wide standards deployed that utilize subscriber location information to provide location dependent services, e.g., using Web and HTTP technology. Accordingly, standards will likely develop to mandate that subscribers be allowed to make the final determination regarding when and where location information will be used. Subscribers must be able to grant or deny permission to location dependent service providers regarding the use of his/her location information. The privacy issues discussed above are a recognized potential problem, but no solutions have been presented that make the use of location information inherently safe.
For example, one proposed solution is to give a user the option of disabling/enabling all application initiated location capabilities. However, this option disables all application initiated location queries, and if the subscriber chooses to enable the application initiated queries, any agency subscribing to positioning capabilities, which has the subscriber's number, can locate the subscriber at any time.
In addition, granting permission is only part of the problem. Ensuring the integrity and the confidentiality of the location information is not solved by any implicit or explicit means of granting permissions.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a system and method to provide location dependent services to subscribers while maintaining the subscribers' anonymity, and the integrity and confidentiality of the location information.